TLDR Stress worsens symptoms and body changes in women with PCOS, especially during COVID-19.
The study evaluated the association between anthropometric indices and stress response in women with PCOS, focusing on phenotypic features like hirsutism, acne, Acanthosis Nigricans, and alopecia. It found significant alterations in anthropometric indices among PCOS patients, which were strongly correlated with stress biomarkers such as salivary α-amylase and cortisol. Central obesity emerged as a significant indicator of altered body composition in response to stress. The study concluded that stress played a crucial role in modulating phenotypic manifestations and body composition in PCOS patients, potentially exacerbating the disorder, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
112 citations
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July 2020 in “BMC Medicine” Women with PCOS may be at higher risk for severe COVID-19.
67 citations
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February 2010 in “Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica” Hirsutism is a strong sign of high male hormones and metabolic problems in women with PCOS, but acne and hair loss are not.
212 citations
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September 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Minoxidil and finasteride treat hair loss in men, while minoxidil treats hair loss in women.
76 citations
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January 2007 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” Women with PCOS often have skin problems like excessive hair, acne, hair loss, and dark patches, which can be treated with hormonal and non-hormonal therapies.
169 citations
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August 2004 in “Baillière's best practice & research. Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology/Baillière's best practice and research in clinical obstetrics and gynaecology” Lower doses of treatments for hirsutism and acne in PCOS are effective and cause fewer side effects.
48 citations
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April 2015 in “PLOS ONE” Excessive hair growth affects the quality of life of Iranian women with PCOS the most.
10 citations
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June 2010 in “Fertility and Sterility” Patients with PCOS tend to score their hirsutism higher than clinicians, making self-scoring less useful for diagnosis.
1 citations
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January 2001 in “Drug and therapeutics bulletin” The document concludes that management strategies for PCOS are important due to its common occurrence and associated health risks.
